Three months ago I found that the U.S. uses 72 pesticides in agriculture that are banned in Europe. Accounting for more than a quarter of our pesticide use (over 320 million pounds per year)
A couple of updates
ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…
The EU has now banned propiconazole.
It has been identified it as a reproductive toxin and its metabolites are expected to leach into groundwater
The U.S. uses more than 2 million pounds a year, mostly on wheat, corn and rice
Diquat has also been banned
Europe found unacceptable risks to bystanders and residents near where spraying occurs. Also a high risk to birds.
We use 300,000 pounds per year on fruits and veggies
Pymetrozine, recently banned in the EU for potential to contaminate groundwater and possible endocrine effects, is used mostly in FL, CA central valley and eastern WA on fruits and veggies in the U.S.
Last but not least, #chlorpyrifos may be the next casualty of the EU's war on dangerous pesticides. @EFSA_EU found it “does not meet the criteria” for approval.
In 2016, chlorpyrifos almost became one of the few pesticides banned in the U.S. and approved in the EU
But the Trump administration was so beholden to the pesticide industry that it reversed the planned ban.
Now we will once again have to follow the EU when it comes to protecting humans and the environment from the neurotoxic chlorpyrifos.
Many states are leading the way
While the EU has less land dedicated to agriculture than China, its export value of agricultural products is higher than the USA, China and Brazil combined.
The only ones benefiting from the use of these dangerous pesticides in the U.S. is the chemical industry
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.